Worst homeowners association horror stories: What are the common issues?

One horror story I've heard is about a homeowner who painted their front door a color not on the 'approved' list. The homeowners association fined them a huge amount and threatened legal action. It was just a door color, not something that affected the neighborhood negatively in any real way.

One horror story is when the homeowners association imposed ridiculously strict rules on home exteriors. For example, a family was forced to repaint their house a specific color that they didn't like just because it didn't match the 'approved' palette. It cost them a lot of money and they had no say in the matter.

In my neighborhood's homeowners association, there was a rule about no vehicles parked on the lawn. Well, one day a neighbor's old, broken - down car was towed onto his lawn by mistake. The HOA was up in arms, but when they found out it was a towing error, they had to scramble to figure out how to get it off without breaking more rules. It was quite a sight seeing all the HOA members huddled around the car, scratching their heads.

Over - regulation is common. Like dictating what kind of curtains you can have inside your own home visible from the outside. It's an invasion of privacy.

Sure. In one instance, the homeowners association wouldn't allow a homeowner to install solar panels on their roof. They said it was against the 'architectural integrity' of the neighborhood, even though the homeowner was trying to be more environmentally friendly. This not only prevented the homeowner from saving on energy costs but also set a bad precedent for others who wanted to go green.

There was a time when the homeowners association was trying to enforce a new rule about where to park bicycles. One old man in the neighborhood got really confused and ended up parking his bike on his roof. He said he thought they meant 'off the ground' and that was the highest place he could think of. It became a running joke in the neighborhood for months.

A homeowners association I heard about had a rule about not having any signs on the front lawn. But a family put up a big sign that said 'Free Hugs' just to be silly. The HOA was not happy at all. However, the family then organized a 'Free Hugs' day in front of their house with the permission of the neighbors (not the HOA). So many people showed up that the HOA finally just gave in and let them keep the sign for a while. It was a great example of the community coming together against the sometimes over - zealous HOA.

Financial mismanagement is another big problem. For example, they might collect fees for a particular project but then waste the money on unnecessary things or misallocate the funds, leaving homeowners out of pocket.

One common issue is poor customer service. People in 'carchex horror stories' often mention that their calls and emails were ignored or not answered promptly.

One common problem is allergic reactions. Some people are allergic to latex, which is a main component in many condoms. This can lead to itching, redness, and discomfort. Also, as I mentioned before, condoms getting stuck or coming off during intercourse are also common horror story elements.